Unexpected Places
by DoubleL27
Summary: Sometimes love finds us in the unexpected places and people. Kitty realizes the truth of this as she spends Valentines Day with Bobby.


For Sue, who I completely and totally blame my newfound fascination with this paring. I was very happy paring off Bobby and Kitty with who I had been, and who I ultimately still do. This is just another one of life's endless possibilities for the Evo gang. Hope you enjoy.

Valentine's Day sucked.

Kitty believed it with all her heart as she walked through the hallways of Bayville High her senior year. It wasn't even Valentine's Day and everyone was already filling out order forms for carnations and chocolate roses that would be passed out when Friday arrived, and there would be a gigantic sweethearts dance that evening for those who were too young to actually drive themselves anywhere else.

And even when she returned home to the Institute, it wasn't about to let up. Scott and Jean would both return from their respective colleges and disappear somewhere together to "study," Kurt would be on the phone with Amanda, again, making plans for the weekend, the younger students were paring off like rabbits, and to add insult to injury, Rogue had begun to date Gambit. Not that Rogue wasn't allowed the happiness of a relationship, Kitty had been promoting it from the beginning, it just wasn't fair.

She had had relationships before. But Lance and she had long since parted ways and he was currently living in Washington D.C. with the rest of the Brotherhood. Nick Fury had wanted them for some sort of job and as Lance had so aptly put it, it pays. So there wasn't even a small little glimmer of hope that she could bully him into a night out for some fun.

Jamie had been hitting on her all week, but really, what was she going to do with a 14 year old. It was illegal.

"Hey Kit, wait up! I'm in desperate need of a ride home and a thrill that's hard to find anywhere outside of a crashing simulator."

She didn't even turn around to glare at Bobby as he shouted at her. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Bobby's antics or being harassed about her much improved driving ability. "Then hurry up."

"Whoa!" Bobby said, as he caught up to her in the parking lot. "Who shoved a bug up your pretty butt?" Out of the corner of her eye Kitty caught sight of Bobby checking it out for himself.

"I'm not in the mood," she snapped at him again.

"Jeez. Where is your smile when I need it? It's gorgeous you know, brightens up rooms."

Kitty turned to look at her fellow classmate and his goofy grin was rather infectious and she found herself smiling a bit. "That complement will save your hide, even if its slightly sarcastic." Bobby was good on the compliments, they were just usually over exaggerated and to get himself out of trouble. "And I just…it's sickening you know." She gestured about to the love sick population of Bayville.

"This from a girl who used to spend all of her time on the phone with a certain member of another team?"

"I wasn't…" She trailed off remembering and sighed in defeat. "Okay, I had it bad, but still. Am I alone here?"

She bent over and unlocked the door to her car as Bobby began to reply. "No. It's like everyone's got Valentines day on the brain. Sam's been going crazy trying to figure out how he's going to do something really special for Jubes without blowing all of his money." Bobby pulled open the door on the passenger side and slipped in. "Most of the time those two have a fabulous time spending no money."

Kitty climbed in herself after having shoved the "Rogue got a Queen and a Joker from a deck of cards from Remy with an address and the date and time for their Valentines day date. And she went gooey, Rogue!"

"And then there's Kurt," the two said in unison before dissolving into giggles.

Kitty turned over the engine on her Mini Cooper and began to pull out of the space, looking for any people or cars that she might come in contact with. The last thing she needed today was to hit someone or something, or get it stuck in the car and have to hear about it endlessly from everyone else. Getting out of the space, she hit the gas and headed out of the parking lot.

"So," Bobby asked as they got out on the road. "you got any plans for Friday?"

"Do I look like I have plans?" She sighed, she really shouldn't have snapped at him. "No. Just me and a bunch of books for the college classes I'm looking at."

Bobby piled his hands behind his head. "You keep reading those and they're just going to force you to bypass college."

"I wish."

"Well, if you know, you're not doing anything we could always hang." Bobby said casually before amending the statement. "I mean, as friends, but still. It'll be kinda lonely without anyone around, and that way we won't look like the only dweebs who couldn't get plans, you know?"

"Sure. It doesn't sound half bad. We can rent a couple of movies, make some popcorn." She turned and grinned at him to assuage his worries. "I don't burn that."

"How bout we buy some already popped stuff with the cheese on it?" As she moved to glare at him, he raised his hands in a non threatening way. "S'not that I don't trust you…okay maybe just a little, but I also do better with cold things."

"Point taken." Kitty nodded as she turned the idea over in her head again. It really sounded like a good idea. "Alright, sounds like a plan."

"Cool."

"Do I look alright?"

"Does anybody have black heeled shoes, preferably large heels in a size six?"

The sounds of Valentine's Day echoed throughout the Institute on Friday evening. Everyone was getting dressed up to go somewhere with a few exceptions, including Jamie who had locked himself in his room. Someone would have to go check on him eventually to make sure he wasn't overly depressed, but it sure as heck wasn't going to be her. Their one "date" two years ago had been hard enough to handle and he still hit on her.

"This is stupid." Rogue muttered, glaring at her reflection in the mirror. "Why am I goin'?"

Kitty smiled at her friend. She was no longer bitter about Rogue having a date such as this and was instead focused on making her look her best. She was also there to ensure Rogue didn't completely blow the evening because of her nerves. "Because Remy's hot, he really likes you, you really like him, he's not afraid of you and because you deserve this. Now shut up."

"Why do I let anybody talk me into these things?"

"Because, you want to be normal. Now hold still." Kitty bent over Rogue and put on the finishing touches of a lighter eye shadow than Rogue normally wore. She turned her friend in the stunning black number and the long black opera gloves back to face the mirror. "Look, this not only goes with your usual demeanor and covers everything up, but you look damn hot in it. It's going to drive Gambit out of his mind."

"And he has it coming. Ya really think so?"

"Jeez, you spend way too much time hiding underneath all those clothes. You're hot, it's a good thing. Well, maybe not a fabulous thing for you, but still, guys want you." She sighed before collapsing on the bed. "Me, I'm cute."

"It's worked for you before Kit-Kat."

"Once, with one guy, and half the time our relationship was a disaster. I'm just doomed to spend the rest of my life as a geeky, academic with a shoe fetish that's all.

Rogue narrowed her eyes at Kitty before returning to the recent habit of glancing nervously in the mirror. "You're going to sit there and tell me you didn't come up with anything to do besides study tonight?"

"Bobby and I are just going to hang out, watch a few movies as friends and all." Kitty's face took on a rather malicious smirk as she said. "I'm going to sick Pretty Woman on him."

"You're vicious you know that?" Rogue asked, but the tone of the question had pride laced in it.

"So? That's what he gets for purposely shrinking my sweater."

"I think he wanted you to wear it like that."

"I…Ugh, men!" Kitty collapsed onto the bed again. She popped open an eye and looked at her friend. "With the exception of yours of course."

"He's just as bad as the rest of them, he just is better at hiding it. Do I really look all right?"

"Yes you look fine." She was really about to strangle the girl standing in her room. "Go, have fun! Out of the house."

Rogue smirked rather evilly before asking. "You sure you and Bobby are just friends?"

"Go!"

Before she could physically shove Rogue out of the room there was a loud Bamf and Kurt was standing in the room, looking quite dashing although horribly nervous. "Kitty! Maybe I shouldn't be imposing something like this on Amanda."

Kitty rolled her eyes. Why was it her job to make sure everyone but her had a love life? "Go Kurt, have a good time."

Rogue snorted and rolled her eyes at her brother before stating, "You make it sound like she hasn't wanted to jump you since your first date."

"She has not!" Kurt shouted back, his yellow eyes widening at Rogue's suggestion. "Amanda has been attracted to my nature that does not mean she is the type of girl who just wants to…you know."

"Oh just go, have a good time," Rogue narrowed her eyes affectionately at her brother, "be safe or I'll sick Mystique on your ass."

Kitty began physically pushing her two best friends out of the room. "Both of you go, have a good time," she said, pretending she wasn't sick of saying that. "I'll see you both later."

Kitty collapsed on her bed slightly irritated with her friend's insecurities, even though she was also amused by them. They were going to go out and have a good time with people who adored them. There really was no reason that they should be nervous. But then, Kitty supposed, with romantic entanglements one could never really tell.

She was interrupted out of her musings by a knock on the door. She really didn't want to play another round of "What do you think Kitty?" She turned towards the door and growled, "What?"

The door popped open and she heard, "Is that anyway to treat your date for the evening?"

Kitty turned over on her bed to spot Bobby standing in the door, his usual attire save the pair of chocolate roses in his hand. "Sorry, I've been giving advice all night." She stood and took the chocolate roses from him. She really did have a soft spot for chocolate. "And you didn't have to."

"Hey, I'm a good date." Bobby said with a shrug before sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Figure if I were a better one I woulda ordered you a bunch at school and had them delivered to you by a 'mystery admirer' in homeroom to make the other girls jealous."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "You're too kind."

"You didn't say that after the sweater incident."

"Well," Kitty said, smirking a bit thinking of the chick flicks she meant to impart on him that evening, "you're going to pay for that tonight, so I really wouldn't worry."

"Am I? If I have to pay could you at least put it on?" He looked at her rather hopefully with an innocence she didn't believe in the slightest. "I'd like to see you in it before I die."

"Suggest that again and I'll make sure you die."

"I suppose I'll just have to get used to seeing you in normal sized clothes." And with that, Bobby popped up from his position on her bed and into a standing position, elbow at the ready. "Dinner awaits mi'lady," he said with a faux, British accent.

Kitty stifled a giggle. Bobby was really being cute about the whole deal, chocolate covered flowers, playing the part of a gentleman. She slipped her hand into his elbow and managed. "Why thank you kind sir," without dissolving into laughter as he lead her out of her room.

"It's Sir Knight. Sir Robert Drake of the house of Xavier." Bobby said with a flourish before whispering conspiratorially, "We're quite the army."

"So I've heard tell."

"Ah have you?" He put a hand on his chest for a second in a brave pose and then began to preen a bit. "Fabulous stories about me I'm sure."

Kitty burst out laughing this time and continued even harder as Bobby put on a mock hurt expression. They were like that all the way down to the dining hall, with Bobby going on about the great accomplishments of the Knights of Xavier's round office and Kitty unable to gain her composure.

The evening had been fabulous so far. They'd had dinner, just the two of them, as everyone else had managed to find their way out of the mansion and it was a rarity that the teachers joined them for meals. Besides Logan, the one person who did wander in there often, had gotten out of the house yesterday spouting off about overly hormonal teenagers.

They hadn't gotten to the movie yet. As Bobby had been a wonderful date so far Kitty had let him stave off punishment in favor of sitting in the rec room with some snacks just talking. He hadn't looked too thrilled about that, but they'd been having a pretty good time just talking so far and even with his usual wisecracks thrown in, Bobby had been pretty open.

"So," Kitty asked, putting down her can of diet cola, "what are your plans for when we graduate?"

"I dunno." Bobby said with a shrug, picking at his handful of popcorn. "Hang out here, go to NYSU: Bayville. Don't know what the hell I'll major in, but I'll figure it out. Probably business. I've enjoyed the sorta internship I've had with Warren the past couple of years."

"You're not going to head home for awhile?"

"You mental?" Bobby asked as he picked up his soda. He took a quick swig and set the can back down, shaking his head. "No. My dad…let's just say he's not exactly cool with my ability to chill."

"That's gotta be hard." Kitty sighed and ran a hand through her hair which she had taken down as she thought about her own parental situation. "My parents both want me to be done with the Institute when I graduate." She laughed bitterly. "It's about the only thing they agree on anymore. It's like, Xavier's is good for my high school years but now that I have control I can go back home, go to a school in Chicago, and be the perfect little girl they dreamed of having."

"Yeah, I hate that. My father spews all this bullshit about having to be able to integrate into normal society and not to stick out. He wants me to just ignore the fact that I was born with the ability to do things that no one else could." Bobby quickly gathered the water molecules in the room and transformed into his ice form. "But this is me."

Kitty felt a pull of empathy for Bobby as it reflected her own parents views. "I know. 'You've learned control dear, it's best that you go back to your normal life.' I don't know what normal is anymore. Normal for the past four years has included waking up at five to go work out in the danger room or do martial arts and yoga, I've been attacked by mutants and humans alike, I've been treated like a pariah for what I am. And I'm just supposed to be able to zap back to normal or my parents' version of it?"

Bobby scowled and said, "You're their child, it's your job to be what they want."

He shifted rather uncomfortably on the couch as silence fell in the room and then sprang off of it suddenly, transforming back into flesh as he did so. "You know what we haven't done that would complete this evening?" he said, grinning back at her as if an ingenious plot had come into his mind. "Dancing."

Kitty looked at Bobby relatively confused. "You wanna dance?"

"Yeah." Bobby said with a grin that Kitty found infectious. Why the hell wasn't this guy snatched off the market? Aside from his pesky habit of playing annoying jokes. "Like some old school, slow dancing? Come on it'll be fun. But first we've gotta find the right mood music."

Kitty laughed and shook her head, but got off the couch and followed him to the stereo across the room. "You're crazy." But she liked it.

A serious look entered Bobby's brown eyes as he turned to look at her. "I just want you to have a good Valentines Day and all. We were getting into highly depressing stuff, not good for romantic atmospheres."

Kitty simply stood back and watched as he flipped through the CD's that lay by the player. Eventually he held up one triumphantly and waved it a bit. "Ah, Sinatra." Opened the case and popped it into the player. "My mom puts a lot of stock in the talents of Ol' Blue Eyes. She claims he can get anyone to melt."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Let's try it." He extended his arm to her and smiled softly instead of the cheeky grin he normally wore. "Dance with me?"

"Of course," Kitty answered, putting her hand into his as he hit the play button with his other hand.

The strains of the old big band music filled the room and the old crooner's voice came across soft and clear, singing about love. Kitty felt Bobby's strong arms circle her and she leaned into him. He'd gotten taller in his years at the Institute. He wasn't the tallest one there by far, but he was well over her head at this point. His body didn't exude the warmth that most guys did but his embrace was still comforting. She put her head on his chest and let herself go.

It amazed her that no girl in Bayville had snatched Bobby up. He was quite hilarious normally and underneath the joking exterior was one of the sweetest guys she'd ever known, not to mention quite attractive. This night was one she would most definitely remember for a long time to come and not because of the things they did, those were what everyone did, but because Bobby was making the experience so worthwhile and new. His presence was what made this night one to remember.

She felt his hand on the small of her back hold her a bit closer as the other one moved up to touch her hair. Somehow it was so, perfect, and she felt herself sighing into him. Careful not to use her powers and fall through him, Kitty focused on the feeling of their bodies pressed up against one another. It was a good feeling, and admittedly, an attractive one. He was strong, but not overly built. The muscles that Bobby had were long and lean and powerful.

And this was Bobby.

__

And you're having the time of your life.

She wasn't sure how long they had been dancing when she pulled back to look up at Bobby. His golden brown eyes had darkened and he was looking with something she nearly recognized. His hand that had been resting on her head moved and pushed some of her hair away.

He said her name, and it sounded unusually husky and his face was moving closer and closer to hers.

And then they were kissing.

Kitty let herself fall into the kiss. It was amazingly soft and exploratory and like nothing she had ever felt before. Bobby's lips were cooler than any other guy she had ever kissed and they tingled a bit and sent shivers down her spine. She tightened her grip around his neck and leaned into it, willingly parting her mouth for his tongue to enter her mouth. It had been much too long since she'd been kissed and even then it hadn't felt like this.

And then his presence was gone and Kitty's eyes snapped open. She stared at Bobby a bit shocked and resisted the urge to run over to him and finish what it was that he had started, even if she wasn't quite sure how to finish all of that.

She stared at him as he ran a hand through his hair. Kitty tried to catch his eyes, but Bobby wasn't looking at her, instead his gaze was stuck on the floor. "I, uh, I'm sorry Kit. I shouldn't have…presumed that was okay."

"What?"

"I mean, I just…Hell Kitty, you're standing here in my arms and you're so pretty and I just…I forgot myself that's all."

She was definitely confused now, and a bit hurt. "So you didn't mean it?" she asked.

"NO!" he shouted, and as his agitation increased the temperature in the room seemed to drop. "I mean…Look, I've wanted to do that for…awhile now, but I completely understand if you're not cool with it. I mean, s'not like you're interested or anything. We'll just forget it." He said, waiving his hand as if it was already forgotten and shot her a rather panicked look. "Didn't you wanna watch Pretty Women or something to torture me?"

God give her patience to deal with those who jumped to conclusions way too quickly.

"Bobby, shut up."

"I…"

Kitty took a few steps forward smiling at him, trying to get Bobby to stop looking so nervous. "I liked it. I liked it a lot." She blushed and ducked her head a bit and let her hair cover her face before looking up at him again. "And as far as me being interested, this has been the best night I've had in a long while and I'd like to have more nights like it."

"You mean that? You're not just messing with me?"

Deciding that there was only one way she was going to settle this in his mind. Kitty gathered her courage and crossed the distance that Bobby had put between him and took his face in her hands. She went up on her toes as he bent his head down a bit and touched her lips to his again.

Within seconds, Bobby's arms convulsively came around her again and crushed her into him. Knowing this was what they both wanted, Kitty gave over to the feeling even quicker than before and found a hand slipping up into his sandy brown hair and holding on for dear life as the tingling sensation returned to her lips. The mixed sensation of the cool feel of Bobby against her and the warm sensations that he was raising within her began to send her sensory system into hyper drive. It was like everything was on fire.

He broke away softly this time and placed a kiss on her forehead, not really letting go of her. "If we're going to continue this, maybe we should get more comfy."

"Yeah," She answered with a nod. Comfortable was definitely a good thing. Although she'd probably have a kink in her neck either way.

Kitty began to pull out of his arms and walk towards the couch when he surprised her by swinging her into his arms Rhett and Scarlet style. He smirked down at her a bit. "I've always wanted to do this to see if it really makes girls all mushy. But then you're supposed to be in a huge dress."

"It works like this too."

"Yeah?"

Kitty nodded, sensing that he needed to be reassured of what was going on. "Yeah."

"Good."

He laid her down on the couch and positioned himself next to her slightly awkwardly, trying very hard not to crush her. His considerateness was even more endearing and Kitty found herself seeking his touch again. God he wasn't supposed to be this addictive, but somehow he was.

A few hours later they were curled up on the couch watching as Richard Gere unceremoniously serenaded Julia Roberts on her fire escape. Kitty snuggled in closer to Bobby comforted by the feeling of being able to lay on top of him, her head on his chest. They were just hanging out now, and occasionally Bobby would make hilarious comments about the movie on costume choices and such, and it was just as nice as kissing him had been. She felt a bit bad for still insisting they watch Pretty Women but Bobby had told her he'd gotten what he wanted.

And that had her curious. While she wished she was the kind of person that could just let things go, she wasn't. Instead she found herself tracing images on the front of his shirt as she said, "Hey Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"You said earlier that you'd been wanting to do this for awhile." She picked at his shirt a bit before finally asking, "Why?"

Bobby shifted slightly and made a move so he could look down at her face. His brows were furrowed, which was an odd expression on a guy who was normally so carefree. "What do you mean why?"

Feeling completely stupid but knowing she had to continue with this train of thought, Kitty pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before completing the question. "Why did you want to kiss me and everything?"

"Because you're gorgeous and funny and brilliant and anyone should want to kiss you."

"Bobby, seriously."

"I am being serious. Didn't Alvers ever drive it into your head how wonderful you are? I mean, really, you can do anything you put your mind to, you've got these wonderfully bright blue eyes, and this gorgeous smile, and you could probably kick my ass if you wanted to. I find all of that very attractive."

"Lance was different. I represented someone he could trust and no one had cared about him in a long time. He didn't date me because I was gorgeous. And he was the only one who may have thought so, until you."

"I doubt that." Bobby gave off a longsuffering sigh and squeezed her a bit. "Well I'm just going to make up for those idiots who didn't realize what a catch you were. A few more dates and I may just manage to have my way with you."

"Oh as if, Bobby Drake. I'm directing this train."

He quirked an eyebrow in a questioning glance. "Are you really now? Because I've managed to make my own dreams come true."

They both grew silent as he said that, and she could see the blush rising on Bobby's cheeks. It was sweet and endearing, so she pressed a rather chaste kiss to his lips.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence, still blushing a bit, "we should probably get out of the way of everyone who will be coming home."

Kitty nodded but put her head back down on Bobby's chest as she muttered, "Probably."

"HA!" They both whipped their heads around to see Rogue standing in the doorway to the rec room. "Just friends my ass."

Kitty turned back to Bobby and as they heard Rogue disappear they both burst out laughing. The look of satisfaction on their friend's face had been priceless and now they had been caught by an inhabitant of the mansion. A…well, Kitty wasn't exactly sure if it was a relationship, but it was beginning to feel like one, and only a few hours into it they had been found out.

But then there were rarely secrets that a member of the Institute could keep from everyone else.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your door." Upon standing, Bobby offered her his elbow in the same manner as he had before walking her down to dinner. "Mi'lady."

Kitty grinned at him and blushed a bit and put her arm through his. "Why thank you Sir Drake of the Knights of Xavier."

"It's my pleasure."

He walked her to her doorway all the time making her laugh with silly "knightly" moves and gestures, most of them over the top. Kitty tried her best to respond to all of Bobby's movements and words in the same manner a lady of the time would have but found herself giggling a bit too much to really respond well. By the time they got to her door, Bobby released her arm, and bowed.

He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "Happy Valentines Day Kit." He murmured before moving in to press his lips to hers quickly.

Kitty returned his smile and found herself to be blushing a little bit. "It was because of you," She whispered back. She returned the light kiss before opening her door. "Goodnight," she managed before closing the door behind her and heading to bed to dream of knights and icy kisses.


End file.
